Sous Vide
Cooking Guide
What is sous vide?
Sous vide is a cooking method that uses precise temperature
control to achieve perfect, repeatable results that you just can’t
replicate through any other method. Foods are cooked evenly
from edge to edge, to exactly the doneness you want. And
because foods won’t overcook while they hang out in the water
bath, dinner is ready when you are. The world’s best chefs rely
on sous vide, and now you can too.
Cooked Sous Vide
with the Sansaire
Cooked
Traditionally
Why cook sous vide?
FOODIES
The Sansaire is used in some of the world’s best restaurants. Professional chefs
rely on sous vide for precise, predictable results. Now you can too!
HEALTHY EATERS
Vegetables retain all of their nutrients because the bag is sealed—there’s nowhere
for nutrients to escape! Also, cooking foods in a sealed environment allows you to
coat proteins and vegetables with a fraction of the amount of oil or butter.
FAMILIES
Enjoy the same lifestyle benefits of slow-cooker cooking but without dried-out,
overcooked proteins.
HOLIDAY HOSTS
No more dried-out turkey, overcooked prime rib, tough brisket, or lamb. Your
proteins will always be perfectly juicy, even if the football game goes into overtime
or your guests arrive late.
BBQ & GRILLING ENTHUSIASTS
Smoke for flavor, cook with the Sansaire for texture. The most succulent barbecue
on the planet is cooked sous vide.
NEW MOTHERS
Heat milk or formula to precisely 98.6°F for worry-free feeding.
APARTMENT DWELLERS
Make whole meals in the Sansaire with no cookware to clean afterward.
The foods in each row were heated to the same internal temperature.
1
2
Sealing your food
Vacuum sealers aren’t required for most foods cooked with
the Sansaire. Vegetables, fish, poultry, and other proteins that
cook for less than eight hours can be sealed using zip-top bags
and the water displacement method. We recommend using
name-brand bags made of polyethylene or polypropylene
(the material is listed in small print on the box). Always use bags
labeled as BPA-free, and that do not contain PVCs. Due to
their sturdier construction, freezer bags are a great choice.
Setting up your Sansaire
1
Place your food in a zip-top bag.
2
Add a small amount of neutraltasting oil to the bag to help fill
in air gaps.
3
While holding the top of the
bag open, slowly lower it into a
container of water. The pressure
of the water will squeeze the air
out of the bag.
4
Just before the top of the bag
reaches the water, zip it closed.
1. Pick a container large enough to hold your food, and with plenty of room for
water to circulate. We recommend a polycarbonate food storage container, or
a large metal pot. Avoid plastic containers made with BPAs or PVC materials.
2. Attach the Sansaire to the side of the container using the clamp. Add water
until the level is above the Minimum Fill line on the Sansaire, but below the
Maximum Fill line. Remember that the water level will rise when you add your
food.
3. Plug in the Sansaire.
4. Press the power button on the top of the unit. This turns on the display and
makes the circulator heat the water to the set target temperature. Set the
target temperature of the water bath by turning the silver temperature ring
above the display. The Sansaire automatically keeps the water at the target
temperature until you turn it off. Your water bath is now ready for cooking!
3
For cooking times longer than eight hours, we
recommend sealing foods with a vacuum sealer.
4
How to cook eggs sous vide
Cooking eggs sous vide is a rite of passage for every owner of the Sansaire.
Whereas perfectly poaching an egg is a difficult and noteworthy achievement in
traditional cooking, you can perfectly poach a dozen eggs sous vide with your eyes
closed. By allowing the eggs to cook slowly over 45 minutes, their texture will
become fudgy and silken. You’re about to upgrade your brunch game.
TIME TO COMPLETE THINGS YOU’LL NEED
45 minutes (5 minutes hands-on)
Just your Sansaire
3
4
SET UP YOUR SANSAIRE (see page 3)
Pick a container that will be large enough to fit the number of eggs you
want to cook, with extra room left over for water to circulate. A small pot
is a great choice.
2
COOK FOR 45 MINUTES
Your eggs will be ready in 45 minutes, so you’ve got some time to finish
Sunday's crossword puzzle. Here’s a hint: eight letters, a two-word phrase
for the perfect way
to cook eggs.
5
1
ADD EGGS TO THE WATER BATH
Nature was kind enough to seal eggs inside their own sous vide packaging
(the shell!) so it’s not necessary to use bags when cooking whole eggs.
Because the water will be hot, and because we don’t want the eggs to crack,
lower them gently into the water bath using a spoon.
REMOVE, RINSE & SERVE
Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the bath. Run the
shells under cold water for a few seconds until they’re cool enough to handle.
Crack the shells gently and decant perfectly cooked sous vide eggs onto the
dish of your choice.
PICK YOUR PERFECT EGG
This is entirely a matter of personal preference. Do you like your eggs runny
and soft, or thick and spreadable? Pick your doneness and set your Sansaire
to the listed temperature.
Runny
62°C / 143.6°F
Medium Poached
68°C / 154.4°F
5
Just Set
65.5°C / 149.9°F
Soft-Boiled
73°C / 163.4°F

Now that you’ve violated the laws of physics by producing
such an amazing egg, it’s time to share with others. Post your
results to the interwebs with hashtag #sansaire, and we’ll
brag on your behalf.
6
How to cook steak sous vide
3
This is going to be a little different than the way you’ve cooked steaks in the
past, but you’re going to love the results. Achieving the right doneness (rare,
medium-rare, medium, and so on) doesn’t require expert timing or x-ray vision.
All you have to do is choose the temperature you prefer.
TIME TO COMPLETE
THINGS YOU’LL NEED
4
SET UP YOUR SANSAIRE (see page 3)
5
Pick a container that will be large enough to fit your food, with extra room
left over for water to circulate. A large soup pot is a great choice.
2
HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR STEAK?
(see page 4)
REMOVE & SEAR
(see page 14)
Using tongs, remove your bags of steak from the bath, remove the steaks
from their bags, and pat them dry – we’re about to sear them, and wet
things don’t like to brown. Our favorite way to sear is with the roaring flame
of the Sansaire Searing Kit. It creates a golden crust without jeopardizing the
perfect doneness of sous vide cooking. Alternatively, you can use a hot, cast
iron skillet. See page 14 for more details.
1 hour(15 minutes hands-on)
Your Sansaire
Zip-top bag
Skillet
1
SEAL & COOK FOR 1 HOUR
Your steak will be ready for the next step in an hour. If that
hour turns into three or four hours, no worries. Your steak
will still be just as perfectly cooked when you return to it.
Pro Tip: Try our Steak Aging Sauce to give your steak the
complex flavor of dry aging. Visit sansaire.com for more info.
SEASON & SERVE
Season your steaks however you prefer – we like to add flaky salt and freshly
cracked black pepper. Take a moment to admire the perfectly cooked cut of
meat you just dished up.
Take your time… this could be the most important decision you’ll make today.
Pick your doneness and set your Sansaire to the listed temperature.
Rare
50°C / 122°F
Medium
56°C / 132.8°F
7
Medium-Rare
54°C / 129.2°F
Well-Done
60°C / 140°F

If this was the best steak you’ve ever cooked, we want to
hear about it. Scratch that, we want to see it! Post your
results to the interwebs with hashtag #sansaire, and we’ll
brag on your behalf.
8
How to cook fish sous vide
You’re about to cook the best fish you’ve ever eaten. We use salmon in this
recipe, but feel free to substitute with whatever is available in your area. It will be
indescribably moist and tender in a way that traditional cooking can’t replicate.
Because fish is so delicate, small differences in cooking temperature have a big
impact on the final texture. Good thing we leave nothing to chance.
TIME TO COMPLETE
3
4
THINGS YOU’LL NEED
5
SET UP YOUR SANSAIRE
(see page 3)
Pick a container that will be large enough to fit your food, with extra room
left over for water to circulate. A large soup pot is a great choice.
2
(see page 4)
REMOVE & SEAR
(see page 14)
Using tongs, remove your bags of fish from the bath. Handle them gently,
as they’re pretty delicate. If you enjoy a sear on the skin or flesh of your fish,
the Sansaire Searing Kit is a great way to apply one. The high heat of the
torch flame allows you to create an outer crust fast, before the heat has time
to overcook the interior of the fish. See page 14 for more details.
30 minutes (15 minutes hands-on)
Your Sansaire
Zip-top bag
1
SEAL YOUR FISH & COOK FOR 30 MINUTES
Your fish will be ready in 30 minutes (see the back cover for cooking times for
cuts thicker than a half inch). Nobody has to know that you fell asleep while
cooking dinner. If you’re a multitasker, this is also a great time to make your
side dishes and sauces. Or, if you really want, you’re more than welcome to
stare at the fish for half an hour. It’s your call.
SEASON & SERVE
Grab a pinch of flaky salt and some olive oil. Or reach for your favorite
seasoning. Now’s the time to get creative and shout “Bam!” Plate,
serve, and prepare to share and enjoy. Bravo!
PICK THE DONENESS YOU PREFER
That’s right, you get to choose how you want your fish cooked.
Pick your doneness and set your Sansaire to the listed temperature.
Very Lightly Cooked
45°C / 113°F
Lightly Cooked
50°C / 122°F
Medium
55°C / 131°F
9

Did you love it? We hoped you would. Now it’s time to show
off. Post your results to the interwebs with hashtag #sansaire,
and we’ll brag on your behalf. Anything this awesome deserves
to be shared.
10
How to cook poultry sous vide
Forget the dried out, bland chicken you may have endured in the past. With the
Sansaire, poultry remains juicy, succulent, and so flavorful that all you need is a
pinch of salt to make it shine. Pro tip: cook your dark meat first, then lower the
temperature and add your white meat to the same bath.
TIME TO COMPLETE
SET UP YOUR SANSAIRE (see page 3)
Pick a container that will be large enough to fit your food, with extra room
left over for water to circulate. A large soup pot is a great choice.
2
SEASON & SEAL YOUR POULTRY (see page 4)
If you like, now’s a great time to add some flavor to the bag. Your favorite
hot sauce, teriyaki sauce or barbeque rub will season the meat as it cooks.
4
COOK UNTIL YOU’RE READY TO EAT
Relax, unwind, and look forward to the incredible meal ahead. As your
chicken cooks, it becomes more and more tender. After eight hours in the
bath, your poultry will be as delicate as the best confit.
THINGS YOU’LL NEED
1:30 hour(10 minutes hands-on)
Your Sansaire
Zip-top bag
1
3
5
SHRED OR SEAR & SERVE
Want to shred your poultry for tacos or salads? Rinse the bag under cool
water, then squish the sides of the bag between your fingers and watch
how effortlessly the meat shreds!
Or if you prefer to keep things intact, pat your pieces dry and give them a
quick sear on the stove, under the broiler, or in the deep fryer before serving.
WHITE MEAT OR DARK?
To maximize the juiciness of each part of the bird, we prefer to cook our
white meat and dark meat at different temperatures. Skin-on or skinless,
bone-in or boneless, the times and temperatures depend only on the
thickness of the meat. Times given here are based on one-inch thick pieces
of chicken.
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White Meat
62°C / 144°F
Dark Meat
65°C / 149°F
Cook for 1:30 hrs
(including 30 minutes to pasteurize)
Cook for 1:30 hrs
(including 30 minutes to pasteurize)

If this chicken changed your perception of poultry, you’re
not alone. Post your results to the interwebs with hashtag
#sansaire, and we’ll brag on your behalf.
12
How to cook vegetables sous vide
Cooking vegetables sous vide has a number of advantages to the traditional
methods of steaming or boiling. Because the vegetables cook in a sealed bag, they
retain all of their nutrients and, more importantly, all of their flavor. The natural
sugars in vegetables are water-soluble, and in a boiling or steaming pot, these
sugars will be whisked away into the surrounding water, leaving your vegetables
dull and bland. When cooked sous vide, however, those flavors stay where they
belong. And, as you’d expect, there’s no guesswork or fork probing required to know
when your vegetables are properly cooked.
Searing your food
You’ve taken care to cook your meat perfectly on the inside, but
it’s not complete without a golden-brown crust on the outside.
Our favorite way to do this is with the Sansaire Searing Kit, but
you can use a hot skillet as well.
Unlike meats, which typically cook between 50°C / 122°F and 65°C / 149°F,
vegetables require much higher heat to soften. With a few specific exceptions,
like corn and zucchini, most vegetables soften at temperatures between
80°C / 176°F and 88°C / 190°F. As with proteins, the minimum cooking
time depends on thickness.
COOKING TEMPERATURES
COOKING TIMES
Vegetable
°C
°F
Asparagus
85
185
Beets
85
185
Carrots
85
185
Cauliflower
85
185
Corn*
60
140
Fennel
85
185
Leeks
85
185
Mushrooms
90
194
Onion
85
185
Potatoes, cubed
85
185
Squash**
85
185
Turnips
85
185
Zucchini
65
149
* kernels or whole cob, only 15 of minutes cooking time required
** butternut, acorn, delicata, spaghetti
Temperatures adapted from Modernist Cuisine, Vol. 3, Chapter 12
13
15
mins
30
mins
1 :00
1:45
Visit our website for more info
on the Sansaire Searing Kit.
Using the Searing Kit: After
patting your meat dry, place it
on the searing rack, ensuring a
clear working area. Light your
torch and hold it 3-5” inches
from your food, moving in slow
passes over the surface until
a deep, golden crust develops.
Fatty areas may flare up, which
adds to the drama (and flavor)
of the incredible sear you’re
creating.
Using a skillet: Preheat a
heavy-bottomed skillet (we
love cast iron) until it is rocket
hot. After patting your meat dry,
add your steaks to the skillet,
being sure not to overcrowd the
pan. They’ll sizzle and smoke,
signaling that our plan is
working perfectly. Check them
after 30-60 seconds to see how
searing is progressing. Once it
meets your standards, flip and
repeat on the other side.
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Frequently asked questions
Q Is sous vide cooking just for fancy chefs?
Food safety
Cooking sous vide is just as safe as traditional cooking methods. Some people
see the relatively low cooking temperatures used in sous vide cooking and worry
that this will make their food unsafe to eat. Luckily, that’s not the case. Although
higher cooking temperatures will pasteurize your food more quickly, those high
temperatures also make your food dry and unappetizing.
Not all food needs to be pasteurized in order to be considered safe to eat. The
interior of a steak or other intact animal muscle, for example, is considered a sterile
environment: if there were pathogens inside the meat, the animal would have
appeared sick. However, we do want to destroy any pathogens that may have
gotten onto the surface of the meat. Searing after cooking sous vide takes care
of this risk, and adds a delicious crust!
Poultry is no different than other meats. To reduce the risk of illness due to
surface contamination, we include additional cooking time in all of our poultry
recommendations to ensure pasteurization, so searing your poultry is optional.
Fish pose a different set of food-safety considerations. The times and
temperatures that we recommend for fish create the best-tasting results, but do
not necessarily ensure pasteurization.
As with any lightly cooked food, there is always some risk of foodborne illness,
and the amount of risk you’re willing to accept is a personal choice. Although food
safety is a complex and nuanced topic, the best way to keep your risks as low as
possible is to follow good sourcing and safe handling practices.
A Not at all! Cooking sous vide is easy and practical for home cooks of all levels.
The Sansaire cooks foods evenly from edge to edge, to exactly the doneness
you want. And because foods won’t overcook while they hang out in the water
bath, dinner is ready when you are. Whether you’re preparing a multicourse
dinner party or cooking a weeknight meal, cooking sous vide alleviates the
stressful, split-second timing required by traditional cooking.
Q Is sous vide the same as “boil-in-a-bag”?
A If you’ve endured the dry, bland horror of boiled meat, we can understand
why the idea of cooking food in sealed bags may induce a knee-jerk reaction.
The key difference is that sous vide cooking uses much lower temperatures to
cook your food—temperatures that are precisely chosen to produce the juiciest,
most flavorful results. As meat gets hotter, the muscle fibers begin to contract,
causing the meat to plump and firm slightly. If the meat gets too hot—as in the
boiling scenario, the muscle contraction actually squeezes the juices out of the
meat, leaving you with a tough, tasteless mess. Sous vide cooking temperatures
are well below this threshold, ensuring that your proteins are always properly
cooked.
Q Is it safe to cook in plastic bags?
A Bags made of polyethylene and polypropylene that are labeled BPA-free are
perfectly safe for sous vide cooking. Polyethylene and polypropylene have
been used in laboratory settings for decades, and if they leached any chemicals,
those chemicals would have thrown off the results of sensitive experiments.
Always avoid bags containing polyvinyl chloride (PVCs) or those not labeled as
BPA-free. Most name-brand zip-top bags, as well as the bags sold for vacuum
sealing, will list their ingredients on the box.
Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish,
eggs, or unpasteurized milk may increase your risk of foodborne illness.
Further Reading: Modernist Cuisine Vol 1. Chapter 3
15
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REMOVING BACK COVER
The circulator has a back cover that detaches for cleaning. It should only be detached
when the circulator is off and unplugged; it should never be detached during use.
To open: Detach the clamp by pushing in and pulling down gently. Push down on the
tab at the top of the back cover, and pull the back cover down and away.
USER INTERFACE
To close: Push the back cover against the back of the Sansaire until the tab at the top
snaps closed. Reattach the clamp.
During regular operation, the primary user interface includes the power button to turn
the machine on and off and the temperature ring to change the target temperature.
The display, by default, shows the current temperature of the water. However, when
the temperature ring is turned or the power is turned on, the display turns to showing
the target temperature. Typical cooking temperatures range from 40°C (~105°F)
to 85°C (185°F). To view the target temperature at any point, press the target
temperature button.
The display can be set to show temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit by pressing the
C/F button.
CLEANING
In the course of normal use, food particles and minerals from the water bath may
collect on the Sansaire Immersion Circulator. We recommend regular cleaning of the
housing, impeller, and heating coils.
1. Power off, unplug, and remove the Sansaire from the water bath. If the unit is hot,
wait for it to cool down before proceeding.
2. Remove the power cord from the back of the unit.
3. Remove the clamp from the back of the unit.
4. Remove the back cover. NOTE: The upper section of the Sansaire contains sensitive
electronics and should never come in contact with water.
5. To remove the impeller cover, twist it clockwise.
6. Pull the impeller cover down to remove.
7. While holding the unit upright, rinse under running water to remove food particles.
8. If necessary, scrub the unit gently with a sponge or brush and a drop of dishwashing liquid. Rinse the unit thoroughly, ensuring that water does not enter the
upper section.
9. Reinstall the impeller cover, and twist it until it is aligned with the pump outlet
opening. Reinstall the back cover and clamp.
17
DECALCIFYING
After extended use, the water may deposit calcium onto the heating coils. To clean,
add a decalcifying agent, such as CLR, to your water bath, following the dilution
instructions provided by the manufacturer. Set the temperature of your water bath to
25°C / 77 °F, and allow the unit to run for 10 minutes. Power off, unplug, and remove
the Sansaire™ Immersion Circulator from the water bath and continue cleaning per the
instructions above. Discard the water in the bath, and thoroughly clean the container
and any other materials in contact with the bath.
WARNING: Do not add food (bagged or otherwise) to the water bath while cleaning, and
ensure that the bath water has been replaced with fresh water before cooking.
STORAGE
You may choose to leave the Sansaire clamped to the water bath when not in use, but
it should be unplugged from the power source. However, should you need to store
your circulator, wipe the unit dry using a cloth or paper towel prior to putting it away.
18
Sous Vide Quick Reference
PROTEIN
TEMP
Tender Beef
52°C
126°F
To core temperature
Poultry (White Meat)
62°C
144°F
To core temperature
+30 mins to pasteurize
Poultry (Dark Meat)
65°C
149°F
To core temperature
+30 mins to pasteurize
Fish
50°C
122°F
To core temperature
Pork
65°C
149°F
36 hrs
Tough Cuts
62°C
144°F
72 hrs
Filet, Strip Steak, Rib Eye, T-Bone
Chicken, Turkey, Duck
Chicken, Turkey, Duck
Salmon, Tuna, Cod, Snapper, Tilapia
Shoulder, Belly
Short Ribs, Brisket
3"
1 hr for a 1"-thick steak
1:30 for a 1"-thick chicken breast
1:30 for a 1"-thick chicken leg
30 minutes for a ½"-thick fillet
for a braised texture
for a braised texture
FOOD THICKNESS & COOKING TIME
6 hr
4:15 hr
2"
TIME
Use the guides at the edge of the page to determine how
long it takes for the core temperature of your food—the
temperature inside the middle of the food—to reach the
doneness temperature in the table above.
Some foods, like poultry, require additional cooking time to
pasteurize. Other foods, like tough cuts of meat, are best
when cooked for much longer amounts of time, to achieve
a braised texture.
3 hr
6 hr
7 cm
6 cm
3 hr
5 cm
4 cm
1.5 hr
1"
8 cm
sansaire.com
1 hr
3 cm
1 hr
2 cm
30 mins
Follow us @sansaire / Designed in Seattle, WA
Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, or shellfish
may increase your risk of foodborne illness. Temperatures adapted from Modernist Cuisine.
25 mins
1 cm